Paul's Hunting Blog: Ocean Adventures

The Shimano AX4000 is my beater reel I keep in the car. I haven't busted out the Saragosa or Baitrunner yet.

A few weeks ago I helped out at a beach clean up at Fort Foster in Kittery. The Maine Island Trail Association is a group that does upkeep on public trails and beaches. When I signed up to help out I thought it was no big deal. Now, I have no idea how the beaches MITA cleans up would look without their aid. There were several locations that our group hit picking up garbage that washed ashore through the winter. The area I worked in was the worst! We had 12 lobster traps to dispose of. Six of which were all stuck together. It took two of us over an hour to break down the traps and rope into carry able sizes. Each trap weighs roughly 75 lbs. but when they wash ashore they fill with rocks making some of them closer to 150 lbs. I was fighting the end of a nasty cold but gave everything I had. I felt it in my legs for days after. Anyone in Maine who enjoys the beaches and trails should at least look into MITA and appreciate their work.

Cleaning up after lobstering is harder than lobstering!

All from 1000 feet of beach.

I have been hunting around for decent salt water access for fishing. I have been able to get a line salty and wet a couple times already. I have been going behind the building where I work on lunch breaks and throwing some lures into the tide with a coworker. The stripers are just getting into Cape Cod right now so it will be a few more weeks until I get to see one, but practice is nice.

Throwing any lure I got behind the store.

Salt water.

Rusty and I went to the Biddeford Pool to see if any fish were around a few days ago. We caught zero fish and got nearly attacked by a giant beaver.

Today I found a spot about 2 miles from my house. A guy came down while Rusty and I were exploring and we talked for a while about fishing and this particular spot. He said the shad (American Shad) will be in soon and in a few weeks that spot is awesome for stripers (Striped Bass). Rusty and I went back later at high tide and throw some lures but didn't catch anything.